Photo: rfarmer
Members of the herring family, anchovies are tiny silver fish that are most frequently packed in olive oil and salt. My love of this small fish began when I lived in Rome. I simply could not stop eating anchovies on a simple pizza of tomato and mozzarella. I have since expanded my use of anchovies, using them to add salt and depth to a variety of recipes. Here are a few of my favorite uses of the anchovy - some are mine, some are dishes I admire, all are examples of the versatility of this flavor packed little beauty.
A. Anchovy-Cauliflower Spread at Tom Douglas' Seattle restaurant Lola. No recipe here - but I highly recommend a visit if you're in Seattle.
B. Added to tomato sauces - I add anchovy to many of my tomato sauces in place of salt. I particularly like it when I am adding italian sausage to my sauce.
C. Pasta alla Vongole - I like to add a little anchovy paste to the broth in place of salt. Anchovy paste is often a mix of ground anchovies, vinegar, spices and water. Its strong, salty flavor goes a long way, adding richness rather than fishyness.
D. Anchovy Butter - in a food processor blend 1 stick of softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons lemon, 3 anchovy fillets (or to taste), and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Capers can also be added to this mixture for extra tartness. This rich, salty butter is great on steaks and on hot toasts. A little goes a long way. There are many variations of this compound butter - experiment. Enjoy.
Photo: rfarmer
Members of the herring family, anchovies are tiny silver fish that are most frequently packed in olive oil and salt. My love of this small fish began when I lived in Rome. I simply could not stop eating anchovies on a simple pizza of tomato and mozzarella. I have since expanded my use of anchovies, using them to add salt and depth to a variety of recipes. Here are a few of my favorite uses of the anchovy - some are mine, some are dishes I admire, all are examples of the versatility of this flavor packed little beauty.
A. Anchovy-Cauliflower Spread at Tom Douglas' Seattle restaurant Lola. No recipe here - but I highly recommend a visit if you're in Seattle.
B. Added to tomato sauces - I add anchovy to many of my tomato sauces in place of salt. I particularly like it when I am adding italian sausage to my sauce.
C. Pasta alla Vongole - I like to add a little anchovy paste to the broth in place of salt. Anchovy paste is often a mix of ground anchovies, vinegar, spices and water. Its strong, salty flavor goes a long way, adding richness rather than fishyness.
D. Anchovy Butter - in a food processor blend 1 stick of softened unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons lemon, 3 anchovy fillets (or to taste), and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Capers can also be added to this mixture for extra tartness. This rich, salty butter is great on steaks and on hot toasts. A little goes a long way. There are many variations of this compound butter - experiment. Enjoy.